If you compare it with 19th century polar expeditions, a trip to Mars doesn't look that bad. They sometimes took multiple years, with men trapped in iced up ships, usually with no chance of rescue or even communication - at least we know how to prevent scurvy now!

Have a read of the book "Barrow's Boys: A Stirring Story of Daring, Fortitude, and Outright Lunacy":

http://www.amazon.com/Barrows-Boys-Stirring-Fortitude-Outrig...

NB Having read too much Kim Stanley Robinson and Zubrin, I'd jump at the chance to go to Mars.

Fergus Fleming has written an excellent book on some of the more daring/crazy British expeditions of the 19th century:

"Barrow's Boys: A Stirring Story of Daring, Fortitude, and Outright Lunacy"

http://www.amazon.com/Barrows-Boys-Stirring-Fortitude-Outrig...

To my amazement after reading this book I discovered that one of the few bodies recovered from the Franklin expedition is buried a couple of hundred meters from my home in Edinburgh.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin%27s_lost_expedition

http://hidden-tracks-book.blogspot.com/2010/05/lt-irving-mem...

Some Artic expeditions in the 19th century were stuck in the ice for years at a time when trying to find the North West Passage. One of the expeditions led by John Ross was stuck for four years:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ross_%28Arctic_explorer%29

An excellent book about this is: "Barrow's Boys: A Stirring Story of Daring, Fortitude, and Outright Lunacy"

http://www.amazon.com/Barrows-Boys-Stirring-Fortitude-Outrig...

If anyone is interested in polar exploration I strongly recommend "Barrow's Boys: A Stirring Story of Daring, Fortitude, and Outright Lunacy":

http://www.amazon.com/Barrows-Boys-Stirring-Fortitude-Outrig...